Get To Know Your A's: Alden Carrithers

As the 2015 baseball season approaches in Nashville, the affiliate switch to the Oakland Athletics' organization brings about excitement. With that excitement comes a fresh batch of talented prospects. In the time leading up to the season, we will elaborate on a few of the different players that could be heading to Nashville and expand on the anticipation of another year of Triple-A baseball.

Alden Carrithers has been with four different organizations since being selected by Detroit in the 2008 Draft. The utility infielder has been an on-base machine through his first seven seasons, possessing more walks than strikeouts.

Carrithers played his junior and senior seasons of college baseball at UCLA, becoming just the sixth player within the past 48 years to lead the team in batting average in back-to-back seasons. He earned All-Pac 10 honors and team MVP in 2008.

After seeing time in the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox and Atlanta Braves minor leagues systems, the thirty-year old landed with Oakland in 2014. He spent the entire season with Triple-A Sacramento, recording a .284 average in 101 games played. Living up to his reputation, Carrithers worked 55 walks and struck out just 45 times to help post a .381 on-base percentage.

His strongest campaign came during 2012 when he compiled a .315/.433/.352 line with Double-A Mississippi. The Oregon-native committed only one error during his 74 games, proving his defensive worth as well.

Carrithers has just nine career home runs, but boasts a total of 101 steals in 131 attempts. Always efficient at the plate, he can fit anywhere in a batting order and succeed. Hitting from the left side, Carrithers had solid success against right-handers in 2014 (.304, 42 RBIs).

Sounds' fans will hear the name Alden Carrithers a lot in 2015. Hoping for a breakout season, the veteran will help anchor the Nashville infield.